This application claims benefit of priority under 35 USC xc2xa7119 to Japanese Patent Application No. P2001-032770 filed Feb. 8, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Recent years have witnessed the widespread introduction into hospitals and other medical facilities of large-scale imaging modalities including magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray CT scanning, X-ray diagnostic, nuclear medicine imaging, ultrasonic calculus pulverizing, SQUID and ultrasonic diagnostic devices.
These modalities reflect recent advances in electronic and image processing technology, and their operation is becoming increasingly complex. Moreover, they are frequently upgraded by adding new applications to an existing modality. As a result, it has begun to place a considerable burden on both physician and operator to learn how to operate the devices.
The simplest way to learn how to operate a modality of this sort is for the operator himself to read an instruction manual. It is also possible to learn while practicing in advance on a different system. Experienced operators will often use an actual device to teach others how to operate it. Whichever method is adopted, the learner needs to rely on a manual or the advice of an experienced operator whenever he comes across something which he does not understand.
If in such circumstances there is no experienced operator in the hospital, the learner will need to seek advice from the service center of the manufacturer of the medical system, or an acquaintance with experience in operating the device. The service center or acquaintance will normally be physically remote from the operator, and will need to give instructions by telephone or other means of voice communications.
However, there are situations where detailed instructions given by an experienced operator in a remote location or from a service center do not come over accurately to the operator, and this may easily result in trouble. This is particularly true if there is a considerable gap in understanding and degree of experience between the instructing party and the instructed party, and where voice communication is solely used.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to ameliorate the problems associated with conventional methods of remote instruction, and to provide an operating guidance system for a medical system whereby it is possible to give accurate and effective instruction on the operation of a medical imaging system from a distance.
In order to attain the above object, the operating guidance system for medical equipment to which the present invention pertains is basically structured in such a manner that data relating to the operation of the medical equipment is transmitted to an operator operating the medical equipment in a medical facility from a service facility located at a distance from the medical facility by way of a means of communication.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medical system which includes a disk unit which stores a plurality of ways an operator can be guided in an operation of the medical system, a console with which the operator selects at least one of the ways, and a communications device which interchanges data with the service center according to the selected way.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medical system which includes a disk unit which stores a plurality of ways an operator can be guided in an operation of the medical system, a selection unit which automatically selects at least one of the ways on the basis of a parameter for selection stored in the disk unit, a monitor control unit displays which the selected way on a monitor of the medical system, a console with which the operator selects at least one of the ways displayed on the monitor, and a communications device which interchanges data with the service center according to the selected way.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a server system including a storing unit which stores a plurality of ways an operator can be guided in an operation of the medical system, a data receiving device which receives data according to one of the ways from the medical system, a determination unit which determines a type of the way on the basis of the received data, and a sending device which sends a data according to the determined way.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operating guidance system which includes a disk unit which stores a plurality of ways an operator can be guided in an operation of the medical system, a console with which the operator selects at least one of the ways; and a communications device which interchanges data according to the selected way between the medical system and a server system.